


Fancy

by Pluttskutt



Series: FH Flatmates AU [8]
Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, everything is a mistake fenris
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-25
Updated: 2017-01-25
Packaged: 2018-09-19 22:05:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9462125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pluttskutt/pseuds/Pluttskutt
Summary: Doing his best to ignore what happened in Starkhaven, Fenris prepares for his night out by shopping with Isabela.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I have an unusual request, maybe. I wrote it on tumblr but I'm not sure if you found my story through tumblr so some might miss it. If my writing changes in any way from this chapter (including this chapter) could you please comment or tell me on tumblr? It can be in any way, negative and positive.  
> Examples may be quicker/slower updates, better/worse coherence, better/worse editing, or changed tone in writing.  
> I don't mean that I want you to search for this, I only mean if it's obvious. You're my readers, and you're great with feedback so if there's a change I hope you will tell me! Thank you for reading this, and thank you for reading this story! I know it's a slow burn and I'm glad you're sticking with me. Your comments are so nice and really brightens my day. Thank you!

“Look at this,” Isabela whistled. Fenris turned around to see what she found. In her hands were a pair of shiny red pants. Never before had he seen such ugly pants. No, that wasn’t true. He saw a pair of orange sequin pants once.

“This was a mistake,” he said. Because that’s what it was. Who even came up with the idea that he should look for clothes with Isabela? Maybe Donnic would have been better? He didn’t trust Varric’s fashion sense much with him always showing his hairy chest. Not that Fenris had a problem with hairy chests but he did not want to show his own. There was little to brag about in that department.

“I know,” she laughed. He turned around and checked the shirts instead. There were a lot of them, all at a reasonable price. Because of his job, he had some money of his own and he wanted new clothes but wasn’t sure what he wanted. The clothes Garrett gave him were the right size and he liked the style of them but wasn’t sure if he’d get to keep them when he moved away.

“This is hopeless,” he declared when Isabela walked over to him, “there is too much to choose from,” it could be because he wasn’t used to shopping. He hadn’t been allowed to choose the clothes he liked, so now he wasn’t sure what those clothes were.

“I know what you mean, can you imagine being one of those people who makes up outfits in their heads? That’d be helpful,” she grabbed a grey shirt and pulled it out. Put it back when she saw it wouldn’t cover the stomach.

“I do not believe such people exist,” he said and reached out for a white t-shirt. He wanted something new to wear for their night out. Not a complete outfit, just a shirt. Preferably one with arms that weren't thick.

“How did your date go with Garrett yesterday?” she asked casually when she walked past him. He couldn’t answer the question. They had been out the day before but not on a date. Garrett hadn’t shown interest for that. It wasn’t like that. They weren't like that.

“He told you it was a date?” he stammered. Because if he told Isabela it must have been. It hadn’t felt like one. They drank milkshakes and talked. Garrett hadn’t made any indication he wanted physical contact. It couldn’t have been a date.

“I’m just teasing,” she winked. Of course, she did. Garrett had no interest in him, so a date between them would never happen. That was why he had to go out with Isabela and the others on Friday. Not that he intended to get together with anyone but he wanted to see what a club was like, or a bar. He wasn’t sure what the plan was.

“Garrett is a good friend, I do not want to jeopardise our relationship again,” he recalled the incident. The clumsy kiss he planted when they came home from Isabela the first time. He wanted to bury his face in his hands just thinking about it.

“Again? What happened?” Isabela raised an eyebrow and smirked. Like she knew something happened. He wondered if Garrett told her. Hoped he hadn’t.

“I kissed him, he pushed me away, we have not spoken of it since,” he explained shortly. Her eyebrows shot to the roof a second. They settled down lower and she pressed her lips together. She looked away and grabbed a purple shirt from the rack. Took it out and showed him. He reached his hand out to touch the material. His arm felt stiff. The wrapping around it was a hazard.

“You haven’t talked about it at all?” she asked and looked at him. He shook his head and withdrew his hand. She put the shirt back on the rack. Maybe he should wear a short sleeve with a jacket over? That way he could take it off if it became too warm.

“You are worried, why?” he asked. Waited for her to explain what was on her mind before he continued to look through the racks.

“How long ago was it?” she wondered. Her worry made him anxious. Garrett said everything was fine between them but she thought it wasn’t and she knew him longer. Had he lied? Were things not fine? It’d been awhile since it happened.

“After we visited your home the first time,” he swallowed. Things were fine. Garrett said they were fine. He trusted Garrett.

“You’d been drinking, I’m sure he didn’t take it so seriously,” she scoffed, “how did he react?” he was thankful she too blamed the alcohol. He wasn’t sure what to blame. Learned behaviour perhaps.

“He asked me the day after if I fancied him, and I said no, we moved past it, I do not understand why it is a big deal for you?” all of it had been awkward. It felt strange to talk about it. Not in a bad way tho. An outsider perspective was good. He should have talked with Isabela sooner but hadn’t realised he could.

“Fancy,” she snickered, “you don’t fancy him, right?” she empathised the word Garrett used, and snickered again when she said it. Fenris’ eyes narrowed. He said no then because he didn’t. Also because that’s what Garrett wanted him to say.

“I don’t think so,” he looked at the clothing rack. He had crushes before so he knew how those felt. Those weren’t the feelings he had for Garrett, but he felt different around him than he did around Isabela and the others. They spent a lot of time together so it wasn’t odd he considered Garrett a closer friend.

“Wait, what does that mean? How can you not know?” her brow furrowed. It was a difficult question. As a child, he had shallow crushes. Crushes were like that, one built up a fantasy version of the real person. He never acted on them.

“I have not had friends… in a while, so I am unsure how one feels around friends,” she frowned at his confession. He also hadn’t encountered anyone like Garrett before. The kindness he showed was too much, and how he always thought about his behaviour amazed Fenris.

Fenris saw him almost pick up Bethany when they hugged, and Carver complained the hug was too tight. He put his hands on Merrill’s shoulder to get her attention and would engage in poking battles with her. He attached himself to Anders’ arm when they met, and it didn’t even look like he’d been aware he did it. He never touched Fenris.

It felt like it affected their friendship because physical contact was important to Garrett. Even when he assured Fenris it didn’t, he hadn’t been convinced. Fenris never told him he didn’t feel comfortable with physical contact, it was something Garrett figured out. He never questioned it. Not even when Fenris hugged Isabela. Bethany hadn’t hugged him but put her hand on his shoulder in a light grip when they met the first time. Carver had done the same. He’d ask what that meant the next time he met either of them.

Never wasn’t true when he thought about it. There were accidental touches, the ones that happened when they walked past each other in a tight area. There hadn’t been any deliberate touching on Garrett’s part. Not until they were at the hospital. Fenris didn’t want to think about it.

It wasn’t the touch, it was what led him to that hospital bed. He couldn’t think of it. It created a pit in his stomach he didn’t know how to get rid of. So he pushed it away.

“You feel different for every person you meet, and you act differently too, I saw you and Donnic got along well,” she walked to the other rack, and he followed. She hadn’t asked about his past. He was thankful. She didn’t ask much, and she didn’t talk about her own past either.

“Yes, he is kind,” not just pleasant like some people could be but truly kind. When Fenris said there were too many people at the amusement park, Donnic suggested they’d leave to walk the streets instead. Aveline didn’t want to leave so they parted. Fenris had been prioritised over time with his wife. He knew it wouldn’t happen often but that time it did. It felt strange to be prioritised.

“Marriage isn’t for me but Aveline has benefited in many ways from it,” Isabela smirked. Fenris shook his head because he couldn’t believe she said that, and she laughed.

“You have open relationships?” he asked because he’d only heard her talk about it, but not explain it. He knew there were different types of relationships but hadn’t encountered any other than the one he had.

“I had an open relationship, but now I just do one night stands, what are you interested in?” she asked and raised an eyebrow. He should have known that question would come.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. The relationship he’d been in wasn’t anything he wanted to have again. Because he didn’t feel comfortable with physical contact he couldn’t see himself having one night stands either. Did he want a relationship? A different kind maybe. He saw it between Aveline and Donnic. Not that it was a priority for him, he wanted his own life first.

“That’s why it’s good we’re going out Friday, put yourself out there and shake that booty,” she wiggled her eyebrows. Laughed when he deadpan stared at her for it.

“Perhaps,” he grabbed a black shirt. A simple black t-shirt. Somehow he felt he should dress up more when going out. He couldn’t wear tights and an oversized shirt because he wore that every day.

“Oh, they have chinos over there, let’s look,” Isabela suggested and walked to another rack. He thought it was easy for her. She had confidence in how she looked and didn’t mind when others looked at her. She wore crop tops often, most of the time with shorts. Her hair had natural curls, and she knew how to accessorise. She was older, more experienced, and he envied her.

“I am not sure of my size in pants,” he said when he looked them over. There were many colours, but he liked the grey the most. He wasn’t sure how to make an outfit with them tho. Could he afford to buy a whole new outfit?

“Don’t worry about size, there’s a fitting room here,” she waved it away, “I think chinos and a nice shirt would look good, these are in good shape so you can use them more than once,” she said and pulled out a pair of grey pants. She put them next to his leg to compare the length.

“I’ll try them on,” he said and took the pants from her. He looked around and saw that the changing room were simple curtains around a mirror. He knew that they wouldn’t be the same as other clothing stores because it was a second-hand store, but a curtain? What if someone pulled it to the side?

“I’ll stand with you so you feel safe no one will peek, don’t worry,” Isabela encouraged him and shoved him lightly towards the mirror, “go on, you’ll look stunning,” she assured with a smile. Fenris looked down at the pants and hoped that was true. He wondered if Garrett thought so, he should ask him when he got home. He’d been a great help to pick out clothes when they went out during the day so Fenris would appreciate his help for Friday night too. Isabela knew what looked good but Garrett focused more on him being comfortable in what he wore, and he was sure he’d find a good balance with both of their help.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Don't forget to comment and/or kudos, and I'll see you in the next part :D


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